Bek in BrisVegas

What a whirlwind this week has turned out to be!

I headed over to Brisbane for a work conference this week which was both fun & tiring at the same time!

I arrived in Brisbane Tues. night at 7pm which was quickly followed by dinner with my work team. I got to bed around 2.30am Wed. morning and was up again at 6am for work at our Qld office.

Fortunately it was a pretty slack day at the office, unfortunately I didn't get to walk around Brissy which I was really hoping to do! I love Qld and being a tru-blu Qld'er myself, loved being there! I also didn't get to take that many photos, but I did get photos of the function we had on Wed. night. The area I work in, in the bank, is a specialised area and all states around Aus. caught up for a special celebration on Wed. night. Below are a few pics of the night.

You'll be proud of me...not one drop of wine or any sort of alcoholic beverage was consumed by me...as tempting as it was, I knew all eyes were on me!

The WA girls.

Cath, Minda, Nicole, Rosa, Lyn, myself, M'ree (Lyn is my best friend at work...she is the blessed soul who bought our pram)

Lyn & I

'Bully' and his 2 blondes
M'ree, Craig & Lyn

The 3 blondes

The tables at the function room. We had dinner at the Brisbane Convention Centre on Southbank (b.e.a.utiful!). This was our room (pics at bottom of link)

A banker from NSW who had a few too many and was air-guitaring and then proceeded to strip. Lucklily another mate held up his jacket to keep things hidden - then security arrived

Some dancing - I felt so unco with my belly

Minda & Cath getting their groove on!

Hatch (my manager) dancing with Minda

I now hold power over him!!

The only pic I got of Brisbane

The trip was just so quick! I got back to my hotel room at 1am Thurs. morning and then was up again at 6am to get ready to catch my flight back to Perth.

I am still sleep deprived and absolutely exhausted...just in time for our busy bee this weekend!

Building Better Marriages

By Rob Furlong
Challenge Newspaper Sept 2005

Quite a few years ago I had a couple approach me requesting that I conduct their wedding service. Nothing unusual about that. At the time of their coming to see me, they were living together and sexually active in the relationship. Nothing unusual about that (these days) either. What was unusual was that both parties said that they were Christians. (Before I go further, I want to acknowledge that many of you who read this column would not use the term “Christian” to describe yourselves – there is nothing wrong with that, but I believe that what I have to say will still be relevant and pertinent to you.)

You see, I believe passionately in marriage and in God’s design for it. But as each new year rolls by, the marriage relationship is put under greater and greater pressure and fresh threats arise that seek to destroy the family unit. The incredible fact is however, that many of these threats come from people who openly profess that they follow God and His teachings.
As an example, lets take living together and the topic of pre-marital sex. Almost 15 years ago the well known author and speaker, Josh McDowell, made some startling and alarming observations about the sexual habits of Church going teenagers.

He wrote that:

• They were 86% more likely to say that it “was important to be a virgin when you get married.”
• However: in reality, they were only 14% more likely to actually be a virgin when they married!

I know from my own counselling experience that statistics like those I have quoted above are fairly accurate. And in large part, I am laying the responsibility for this at the feet of people of my generation – people in their late 30’s to early 40’s – who have not modelled sexual abstinence at all well to their own children.

While I was thinking all of this over, I came across the following quote by a youth worker, Tim Stafford. In my mind, it addresses the problem brilliantly and it begins with a letter written to him by a young girl:

“I am a fifteen-year-old girl who has a problem not many of my friends understand. My mum and her boyfriend started dating about three years ago. We soon started spending the night at his house. This didn’t bother me because my mum and I slept in the front bedroom. But then they started sleeping together. This also didn’t bother me much, until one night I went back there to ask my mother something and her boyfriend came out of the bathroom with his
underwear on (and just his underwear). Then I soon caught them having sex.”

Not so long ago, mothers wrote letters like that about their daughters.

But now, millions of kids whose parents are divorced have the tables turned. They see their parents getting involved in immorality. They see their parents shattered and hardened by the break-ups and disappointments that inevitably
follow. Naturally, these parents are not giving their children much encouragement to wait for marriage. (Worth the Wait – Tim Stafford)

I know a good many of you will take exception to what I am saying here, but I think it is time for some parents to begin to practice what they preach. If you want your kids to remain sexually pure, then start living it yourself. Stop making excuses for your behaviour and trust me, I’ve heard them all:

“We’re not hurting anyone.”
“In God’s eyes, we are married.”
“We love each other.”
“It’s none of your business anyway.”

Did you know that couples who were sexually active before marriage or lived together, statistically have a much higher chance of divorce after they marry than couples who were sexually abstinent? That fact alone ought to be enough to jolt you back into reality.

I am passionate about this because I view it as one of the greatest threats to building better marriages that we face right now. Many of us are sending frighteningly mixed messages to our young people who are looking for direction in matters of life, love and sexuality. If we don’t get our act together, I shudder to think what kind of a legacy we will leave (or are leaving) the next generation.

Where to from here?
• If you have made mistakes, acknowledge them and ask for forgiveness from your children.
• Break off whatever it is you are involved in, now!
• Commit yourself unreservedly to living and modelling a life of sexual purity to others, especially your kids.

I hope you stay with me on this topic because over the next several months I will be examining other serious threats to building better marriages.

I'm off

I am off to Brisbane this morning for work...though not much work will get done in-between all the partying!

Look for my next post at the end of the week: Bek in Bris-Vegas!!

Be back soon!

Train List

Along with spewing on the train I can now add to my list:

Passing Out!!

Yesterday was a fun day!

Aqua-fit Classes with Bek

Finally, the long awaited post!

I went to my first Aqua-fit class a couple of weeks ago after my mum told me that I needed to make sure I was fit & healthy for labour. I have since been freaked out and been trying to find different options for exercise while pregnant.

I thought "Aqua-fit" that sounds easy!

Boy, was I wrong.

It started with the nazi teacher we had...I was too scared to speak or do anything wrong that I just about pee'd in the pool.

Before I got in the pool I thought about going to the toilet, but thought "meh....I'll be fine."

However, the warm water and the fact that I'd just drunk my bottle of water caused me to try and hold on as much as possible until we were doing our stretches at the end of the session, and I couldn't uncross my legs to stretch out, that I made a run for it. (It's really hard to run in water too!)

I was then told that if I wanted to return to the class I would have to provide a doctor's certificate saying I could continue. The session was in a hydrotherapy pool and was so warm it's just like sitting in a spa. Pregnant chicks cannot just sit in a spa and simmer away, so I was allowed to join in this time, but next time....DOCTOR'S CERTIFICATE (which I'm too lazy to arrange)

Jet trying my goggles

The moves of the class were a little odd and they really tired me out! We had to push these foam dumbells under the water with one arm, so when the instructor wasn't watching I'd use 2 arms and then when she'd turn around I'd use one arm...sneaky.

We then had to float on our backs and pump the dumbells somehow under the water! With my belly, I couldn't just lay flat. I constantly rolled to either side because I was so off balance! It was crazy.

Russell just sat there and laughed at me! It was annoying!! Stupid lying on back...dumbells.....crap.

Russell refused to let me out of the house with the goggles, so I had to give them up *sigh*

I also opted not to wear the bikini as it was a little too revealing for me! So, I went for modesty :)

Now, who else loves you so much they would post pics of themselves in their bikini while pregnant!? Gosh I must love you all lots!!!

I haven't gone back since, I'm thinking of trying yoga next....now that would be interesting!

Look what I made!!

Look what I finally finished on Sunday Night!!

My girls blanket!

I need to put it through the wash so that it sits nice and I think I may knit a white border around it to neaten it up. Now I just need to finish my boys blanket....9 squares to go and then put them all together!

But for now, I'm proud of myself :)

Looks quite big in this picture!

And, it can also be used as a cape if so desired

"I can't believe I took that picture, you are such a nerd." - Russell

What rules your life?

Fear rules my life.

I live with the constant worry of things that I cannot control.

Yesterday our Pastor preached on the fact that we can be free from fear.

We read the passage about Peter walking on water (Matt 14:22-35). I dwelt on the fact that the disciples were all in fear of what was going on around them. And after Peter stepped out on the water and started to sink, Jesus reached out and grabbed him.

I don’t believe it would have just been a simple hand up, but a full body grab and pull. Jesus wrapped around Peter and pulled him out of his hopelessness.

I felt God saying that he wanted me to start getting up earlier and spend some time with him. So I dragged my groggy butt out of bed this morning at 5.30am. I got up, made a cup of tea, sat in front of the heater and prayed and read the Bible.

I prayed that God would let me read what he wanted me to read and that I would learn something this morning. God lead me to read 1 Samuel 1+2. It was about Hannah who was barren prayed for God to give her a son, and that she would hand over her son to the service of God for the rest of his life.

What a brave move! But God heard her prayer and blessed her with a son, Samuel.

After reading this I headed to the Psalms and read a few of them.

I then got to spend however long in prayer. Usually my prayers are rushed as I don’t have any time, but seeing as I got up an hour earlier, I had all the time in the world.

(You may wonder how these 2 passages are linked…stay with me here!)

After yesterday’s message about letting go of fear and giving it over to God, and the passage this morning of Hannah giving over her son, I felt God saying that he knows the fears I have for our children and that I just need to give it over to him. I felt God's nudging and had to respond.

I have all these different things I think and worry over in my life, and I just need to take the burden of them and hand them over. So I did. And it felt unreal.

When Russell got up he said “I don’t like your attitude this morning…you’re too chirpy!”

I hope I can just remember how good I felt this morning tomorrow at 5.30am!

So, what rules your life? Is there something you need to be handing over to God?

I have not been abandoned, no I have not been
Deserted and I have not been forgotten

I need you
I need you here
I need you now
I need security somehow
I need you
Like you would not believe
You're the only thing I want
Cause you're everything, everything I need

Relient K

Delayed pics

You may remember a couple of weeks ago, we celebrated our anniversary. The next day I had some pics I wanted to put up, but blogger was being nasty (that's like 3 times now!!) and I couldn't put up any of the pics.

Anyway, it is working today, and here are a few pics from the night....don't worry, nothing scary!

When I got off the train, I climbed up the escalator to see my man standing there waiting for me with a bouquet of flowers.....aawwww....how movie like :)

(I made him re-enact it for me for a pic...he wasn't very happy)

The lovely flowers

I then decided to take a couple of quick snaps of my belly.
19 weeks along

Full scale

Up Close & Personal

A couple weeks ago we got to have our anatomy scan. This is where they check every asset of the baby and make sure everything is fine.

Good news.....the baby is perfect! 10 fingers, 10 toes, face intact, brain working, all organs good to go!!

It was a bit of a painful process as the baby was curled up so tightly that the guy doing the ultra-sound found this as a 'challenge' that he could fix. He needed the baby spread out so that he could check everything, but bub would just not budge. So he proceeded in pushing, wobbling and prodding my belly for about an hour (while trying to hold onto a litre of water...not fun!). Bub would just curl up even tighter, play with it's toes or cover its face with it's arms so that we couldn't see it.

In the end the guy (a midwife I think) gave up with "Can't take a hint can it!!!!"

Russell turned and said "I wonder where it gets that from?!?"

Here are a couple of cool pics for you - click on them to see a larger shot:

Baby's face. Almost looks like it is smiling on the left pic. You can just see it's little arms beside it.

Spine & Pelvis - this is really cool I reckon!

The top pic is another one of it's spine. The bottom pic is the spine going up into the head. Really really cool!!!


This is the heart with the blood flowing through the aorta's (is that how you spell it?)
It's amazing what they can do these days!

Beyond the Wedding Day

By Rob Furlong
Challenge Newspaper July 2008

Did I tell you that my daughter Kate was married in May? Of course I did! And no father could have been more proud than I to walk her down the aisle!

I also had the honour of being the officiating minister. There was a point in the ceremony where I was expected to bring “words of counsel” and I have always been slightly amused that we wait until this late to give the couple advice on how to conduct themselves in their marriage! So I decided to talk to Kate and Jos about the vows that they were about to make.

You might remember that last month I spoke about how important our vows are and the urgent need that we have in our society for people who choose to stand by each other through good and bad times because they have committed themselves to doing so. But, lets be honest, even the best of marriages will have its vows severely tested from time to time.

What then, is the glue that holds our wedding vows together? It has to be love, but what kind of love will see a couple through all the happiness and sadness that life will throw at them over the course of a possible fifty year marriage?

Amy Tan, author of the popular novel “The Joy Luck Club” describes love in this way: I am like a falling star who has finally found her place next to another in a lovely constellation, where we will sparkle in the heavens forever.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t always feel like that in my marriage! No disrespect is intended towards Amy Tan (or my wife!) but I have discovered that love is more than just a feeling.

One of the frustrations with the English language is that it can be so hopelessly inadequate at times to find the right word to describe what we mean. I am sure that we mean something entirely different when we say that we love our dog but then use the same word to describe how we feel about our partner for life. (Well I hope you do!)

The Greeks had a good idea; they had four words to describe the different nuances of love. One word described family love, love that was based on blood ties; another was used to describe the affection we feel toward a person who held similar interests to us, friendship love and a third word helped express passionate and sexual love.

But the greatest of all their words for love was the word that described love as a willingness to put the other person’s needs ahead of your own. It was love that said, “I choose to serve you and if necessary, lay down my life for you.” Not surprisingly, the Bible says this is exactly the way in which husbands are to love their wives (Ephesians chapter 5).

What I am trying to get at here is that love is not simply a feeling. If we fall for the lie that love is based on how we feel then we will fall in and out of love several times a day with our husband or wife.

This is why our vows to each other are so important. We might find our current situation quite desperate, but regardless of how we feel at the time, love (the fourth kind that I have described above) says, “I will stay committed to you no matter what because I have promised before God, family and friends to do that.”

And please don’t think that I am saying that your marriage should have no emotion or passion: of course it should! I really just want you to understand that people do not “fall out of love” with each other; they choose to stop loving each other. The amazing thing is, when we do choose to love, in time, the feelings flow and they are far deeper and lasting than you could ever have imagined!

Essentially this is what I shared with Kate and Jos on their wedding day. Its not rocket science but I have found that the best advice is generally very straightforward.

Are you thinking of leaving your marriage, of giving up and throwing in the towel? Can I give you some good advice? Choose to stay, choose to love and choose to honour the promise you made to the one who shares your bed at night — you will avoid a lifetime of regret if you do.

Blogger is being nasty to me #2

I know I promised you all a post today on "Aqua-fit classes with Bek" and I had pics, but once again blogger is being nasty to me and I can't put my photos up.

I will let you know that I did go to the class and it involved:

Goggles (well not in public - russ wouldn't let me out of the house)
Having to pee and being too scared to excuse myself from the nazi trainer
A round belly that made me feel like I kept floating over to my side
Weird moves
And a doctors certificate

Look for the post next week. Hopefully it will be up then! Oh, I didn't get any shots of the actual class though because we realised you can't take photos of women in their bathers in a public swimming place :( Oh well.....

Tomorrow

Be watching for tomorrow's post -

"Aqua-fit classes with Bek"

You know a pregnant lady in a bikini is sexy!!! ;)

Beauty & The Beast

By Rob Furlong
Challenge Newspaper June 2005

Remember the song “Hero” by Phil Collins and Dave Crosby?

It was one of those great stories
That you can’t put down at night
The hero knew what he had to do
And he wasn’t afraid to fight
The villain goes to jail
While the hero goes free
I wish it were that simple for me.

And the reason that she loved him
Was the reason I loved him too
And he never wondered what was Right or wrong
He just knew
He just knew
And we wonder, yes we wonder
How do you make sense of this
When the hero kills the maiden
With his kiss – with his kiss.

As John Eldredge has pointed out in his book, Wild At Heart, the third passion that lies in the heart of every man is that of wanting a beauty to rescue.

As I was growing up, the stories that always inspired my heart were those where the knight or the soldier fought with great gallantry and bravery in order to win the hand of the beautiful woman.

Sometimes she was in danger, sometimes she was not. But over and over, the man pursued her, not to possess or dominate her, but in order to win her love and respect.

This is why what we now call “Chick Flicks” are so incredibly popular with people. The theme of the beauty rescued by the gallant man often runs through them. It’s one of the reasons why Pretty Woman was so hugely successful. While there was much about this film that I did not like, at the end, Richard Gere fulfils Julia Roberts’ dream by storming her “castle” and rescuing her from the degradation she has fallen into: the beauty is rescued!

This theme is why I also love Disney’s Beauty And The Beast! It has it all:

The ugly and unlovable Beast.
Belle, the beautiful heroine.
The false and egotistical suitor, Gaston.
The noble sacrifice of love.

You see, the film teaches an important truth. Beauty can be pursued for its own sake. Gaston only courts Belle because, after all, he “is the best” and he “deserves the best”.

The beast, on the other hand, wants nothing to do with Belle initially, and twisted by his own bitterness he does his best to reject her. But once he recognises the greatness and largeness of her beauty – both inwardly and outwardly – he is smitten! And in the end, he rescues her and he also is rescued ... because he has truly learned how to love.

Eldredge makes the observation that a man needs to know that he is a hero to someone; in other words, his wife. There is something incredibly noble and uplifting about the man who pursues a woman not to make her another “conquest” but to call to his side and share a God-given adventure together.

I remember when it happened for me. When I was dating Karen our relationship hit a rocky patch and we parted for a while. But there came a day when I pursued her, not for her own sake, but simply to say, “Look, I believe God has a great plan for me ... and I want you to share it with me.”

Looking back almost 25 years later, I believe that was the turning point for our relationship. She ultimately said yes ... and we have shared a wonderful adventure together to this day.

Speaking about his bride, Solomon said, “My dove, my perfect one, is unique.” (Song of Songs 6:9)
It is clear that he treasured her above all other women. Men, learn to treasure the woman in your life like that!

A cautionary word – there is a difference between pursuing a woman and stalking her. I will talk about this next month.

Random

The baby kicked so hard last night that I physically jumped out of fright.

I just about pooped myself I totally wasn't expecting it!

Just quickly...

I have been seething with anger for a while now. So, be warned, I am just airing some thoughts and throwing them out here, ‘cos I’m sick of them taking up so much brain space.

I am sick of heretical pastors.

Wait, how can I put that nicely?

I’m serious. I am tired of hearing about pastors who are out there teaching heresy and then their churches filling by the 1000’s. Why does God allow this to happen? Why is it that a pastor can preach heresy and no-one picks them up on it? They just keep going along their merry way hurting people and no-one does anything about it!?

I hear about different pastors and some of the things they are preaching and doing to people and I feel so helpless. I get frustrated because I cannot stand by and let them get away with it, but I am in no position to be talking to them about it. Who am I? Bek, that’s it. I hold no position of authority and I certainly don’t have any ground to stand on.

I said to Russell on Mon. night that Paul or Peter would have just written them a letter! Why can’t I just write a letter to some churches…because I’m not in any position to do so.

So, what do I do then? Do I just let it go? Try and get over it? But I don’t feel that I can just let it go! This sort of stuff gets right into my gut and I get so frustrated over the injustice of it all. Why is it that good, decent, Godly pastors seem to struggle and yet the men who are arrogant and control-freaks seem to ‘make it’.

Why does this happen and is there anything I can do about it?

I'm honored :)

Wow! My first blogging award! Thankyou Sarah for nominating me!!

The rules for passing this honour on:

1 - Pick 5 blogs that you would like to award this honour to.

2 - Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3 - Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4 - Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of “Arte y Pico” blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.

Go to the Arte y Pico blog if you'd like to know more about this award.

I am now going to pass on the award to:

1. Pete from Dodgy Pete's Ramblings. Although he hasn't blogged much and he is new at it, he still provokes me and gets me thinking.

2. Jen from Abba's Princess and Righteous Paths. Jen has 5 kids and is open about her life with her husband and kids...I love reading her journey to list 1000 things she loves about her man!!!

3. Angie from Bring the Rain. For showing a faith and strength in God despite some of the biggest hurdles life can throw.

4. Shane & Kim from The Beckinghams. They are both serving God in Thailand and I love checking where they are up to! They are close friends (Shane being a groomsmen at our wedding and vice versa for Russ) and we miss them so much!

5. Elise from Elise Angelique. 'Cos she's my cousin and I love 'er. Oh, and I like seeing all her pics on her dancing dresses.